All Done

I finished my quilt yesterday and put it in the wash - pulled it out all soft and crinkly - love it! Finished size is 36" square.

I've Been Quilting

In a recent issue of AP&Q I saw a quilt that I really, really liked, so I cut fabric to make a reduced size version and got the pieces up on my design wall almost immediately - . However, a few days later I realized that I had made an error when I did the math so I had to start over completely last weekend. I've been working on it for several days now and it's looking good.

However, this project is really labor intensive and now I'm wishing that I'd made it queen sized instead of miniaturized - I'd have more to show for all my work!

Stuff

A couple days ago I pulled out my needle punch supplies and made a little name tag to wear when I attend hook-ins and other related events. Turned out kind of fun! And at the thrift store yesterday I found an older rug hook mixed in amongst the crochet hooks - paid 50 cents for it so thought it was a good deal. LOVE the red handle!

When I went to put the new/old hook away, I pulled out all of the others that are stored in the pouch I keep them in and snapped a picture. Didn't realize how many I actually owned! The one I use most of the time is my Hartman hook. And I like the bent hook I got from Gene Shepherd too, but the hook is quite sharp and kinda irritates the fingers on my underneath hand when I use it a lot. I really should switch out the hooks I use more often so my hand doesn't get so tired and distressed - don't ever want to have to deal with carpal tunnel! 

I'd love to own a hook someday that is made using a piece of vintage silverware for the handle - I've seen a couple in person and they're spectacular - and have a spectacular price tag too! Would love to see other rug hookers share their collections on their blogs - hint, hint! LOL

On another note - I have been sewing for at least 40 years now and for the first time ever on Wednesday night I put a sewing machine needle through my finger! Can you say OUCH? I don't recommend it! My kids were all here when I came running into the kitchen dripping blood. They asked if I'd be needing stitches, and then they said "No, she already stitched herself!" ha-ha-ha!

Cheerful Spring Flowers

The other day I shared a picture of a small pile of wooly scraps. Well, here's the finished product. A couple of wool balls covered with colorful wool flowers. They were so much fun to make because of all the different colors of wool fabric and threads that I used.

I made two of them - one for a friend - and one for myself.

This was my inspiration piece that my friend Jayna recently bought at a gift shop.

I think I actually like my version a little better!

Finishing another UFO

Last spring I went to rug camp and took a class from Susan Quicksall. I got quite a bit of my project done in class, but haven't touched it since - nearly seven months!  I pulled it out and started working on it again last week. The pattern is called Crazy Horse, but I had Susan customize the design and substitue flowers for the assorted animals.

And I'm doing this all because of Amy. Amy's Dusty Trail is working on this same design - but a bigger version - and that got me all inspired to pull mine out and get started on it again. She is doing the runner - which makes mine look tiny in comparison. Amy's on vacation right now, but I know she'd love to have you visit her blog to look at her rug and leave a comment.

One of my local friends, Nancy, is hooking a rug slightly reminiscent of these - I guess because of the horse in it - and lots of other motifs. These are such fun rugs to hook because there's so much going on - they never get boring!

A Bit of Everything

Just sharing a bit of this and a bit of that today. Here's a sneak peek at a new project I'm working on. Making one for me and one for a friend.

At quilting last week we sat and stitched these cute little owls while we visited and ate some yummy strawberry trifle.

I love how Janet had these surplus sewing machine bobbins displayed in a wire basket in her entry way - you can definitely tell that a quilter lives at her home because of little touches like this scattered throughout the house.

I've recently discovered two relatively new rug hooking blogs who also have rug hooking businesses. Heavens-to-Betsy has some fun designs - I sent away for their wool swatches and they arrived in my mailbox yesterday - oh my goodness - they are absolutely beautiful! It's so interesting to read on their blog about the behind the scenes details of how the wool is designed and milled. I think it's so cool that this is a small family owned business and I think that must be why they can offer their wool at the low price of $19/yd!

Another new place is called Wicked Wool. They have wool, patterns and other supplies available on their website. Plus a free pattern for a darling spring design.

And one last picture of the footstool I hooked for my mother-in-law - here it is in it's new home.

I Hooked a Purse

I hooked this brightly colored purse at least three years ago, and it's been languishing in the UFO pile ever since because I was intimidated by finishing it. After making the footstool for my mother-in-law, I realized I could use the same technique to sew the seams together by whipping with yarn, so I pulled it out and got it done in just a couple days.

This fabric started the whole project and is the fabric I used for the lining of the purse. I added a couple pockets to the lining so I would have a place to tuck my camera & cell phone and not have to fish around for them in the bottom of the purse.

The purse was hooked in one piece.

I was afraid that some of the loops might pull out during normal use - and it would be impossible to access them for repairs after the lining was sewn it - so I coated the entire back surface with this glue stuff and I think it will hold up just fine now. (stinky stuff!)

A fun project - do you think it's bright enough? At least it will go with whatever I happen to be wearing! LOL

Hooking On Tuesday

Our First Tuesday rug hooking group met this week and we had a great turnout of 10 people. This was in spite of the fact that it was the coldest day of the winter - by far! Brrrr...... We had a lovely time visiting and seeing what everyone was working on.


Cindy brought her second completed piece and we all just loved the sheep - the background - AND the foreground! So clever! She said she used a punch needle pattern for the sheep portion of the rug, and the rest of the design was her own idea.

Sandy brought her finished snowman pillow that she started at our meeting last month and he is adorable! The way she did the edges with whipped cording was meticulous workmanship!

Marilyn brought her snowflake pillow - I love how she gradually changed the color of the background with a couple different shades of blue. YUM!

Here are the two snow-themed pillows displayed next to each other - they make a great pair- but they'll be living in two different cities.

Marilyn was doing the handwork on some heart ornies that she had hooked - the plaid she used gives so much interest to the finished piece!

Tonia is working on the same design that Sharon did a few months ago - it was taken from a vintage embroidery book - I love how drab and faded the colors look on this rug.

Sandy & Tonia both brought some books that they had made. They're small photo albums that they carry in their purses so they can show people what hooked rugs look like when they ask. Tonia had decorated the cover of hers with a sheep - appropriately enough. Sandy went home and did something similar - I can't wait to see what hers looks like.

I think we all want to make one of these for ourselves now - a brag book of sorts - great idea!

We met at Marliss's house and she had done a little furniture rearranging since the last time we were there. In her living room - where she teaches piano lessons - she had moved the grand piano and hung one of her hooked rugs over it - it was mounted in a barn wood frame - and I love the way the floral arrangement reflects the colors in the rug.